4/10/12

Baked eggplant and kale, tofu and barley stir-fry

I'm always inspired by food. Restaurants, commercials, TV shows.... you name it and I get inspired. I suppose I'm not the typical consumer as I don't get that craving to go out and "buy" that item but rather, to re-"create" it to meet my lifetyle needs (both health and fitness).

In the 2012 April issue of Cooking Light, there was a great article on Whole grains. As part of Cooking Light's 12 Healthy habits (1 a month)....Jan - veggie upFeb - get movingMarch - get cookingApril - whole grains

When it comes to simple..whole grains have you covered. They are a one-pot wonder but now-a-day, extremely overlooked. On py 58 "only in the last century have refined grains become more popular than whole grains - thanks, in large part, to the introduction of white flour at the industrial level. When left whole, grains are full of protein, fiber, complex carbs, vitamins, and antioxidants, many of which are stripped away in the refining process. A diet rich in whole grains is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes and whole grains in the diet seem to help with weight control. ....these nutty, toasty, rich and chewy grains pair well with so many foods and flavors, both robust and delicate. The average American should eat six servings of grains each day, and the Dietary Guidelines recommend at least half o those be whole. This month's challenge is to work three servings of whole grains into your meals and snacks."

On pg 60. NY times food writer, Mark Bittman says "Explore the variety of grains. "I feel the same way about whole grains as I do about legumes. If you have the stuff on hand, you will wind up eating it. I think wheat berries are sensational likewise farro, kamut, and spelt. There are so many choices - long grain brown rice, short grain brown rice, basmati brown rice - and it's nice to have variety. Play around and see what you like."

Mr. Bittman says he starts every day with oatmeal. "I've always been fascinated by Asian food and Asian breakfasts in particular, so when I have oatmeal, I mix it with dried mushrooms, chopped celerey, scallions and soy sauce. I really like a savory breakfast. When people are repelled by that, I remind them that bacon and eggs are savory also. They just don't think of it that way."

So... inspired by a magazine, I introduce you to a (leftover) barley-inspired recipe....

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and slice eggplant. Brush both sides with olive oil and season to your liking. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. (be sure to use oil on baking sheet to prevent from sticking)2. On medium skillet, cook onions until golden brown, in 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. 3. Reduce heat to low and add in kale and tofu. Stir until coating with oil (add additional oil as needed) and season to your liking. 4. When tofu is golden brown and kale is soft, add small spoonful tahini paste and lightly mix well. 5. Serve 1 serving barley with tofu mixture (combine) and plate with grilled eggplant, topped with pumpkin seeds.

IM Choo '18

IM Austria '16

IM Kona '15

IMWI '14

IM Austria '14

IM Kona '13

IM Lake Placid '13

Kona '11

IMWI '10

IMKY 09

Kona 07

IMFL 06

Boston Marathon 06

My First Triathlon!

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Welcome to Trimarni!

The Trimarni mission is to help athletes reach performance goals without compromising health.
Marni has a great understanding of physiology of the human body during exercise and how food affects a body in motion.
She focuses her time helping triathletes and runners learn how to maximize fitness while keeping the body in good health. Marni is well educated in the areas of sport nutrition (for training and racing) and triathlon coaching, exercise physiology and strength training, for athletes of all fitness levels. She specializes in endurance training and sport nutrition, with a great understanding of the metabolic, immune and hormonal stress that occurs when training for a long distance event. Behind every great athlete is a well planned diet - she also helps athletes create great daily nutrition habits to support consistent training.
Marni is passionate about helping athletes train smarter in order to reach performance, body composition and health goals faster.
Karel is an experienced RETUL bike fitter and bike mechanic and is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to all things bikes and cycling.
Marni and Karel coach a team of triathletes alongside providing services to triathletes, cyclists and runners.

About us

Marni holds a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology and she is a Board Certified Sport Dietitian who specializes in coaching and sport nutrition for endurance athletes. Marni is passionate about helping athletes of all levels learn how to fuel and eat to maximize performance, while keeping the body in good health. She is a 12x Ironman finisher including 4 Ironman World Championship finishes and the recent 2017 IM CHOO Amateur Female Champion. In, 2015, Karel and Marni both competed in the 2015 IM World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. Marni holds an Ironman PR of 10:06 (2016 Ironman Austria), where she had the fastest overall female swim time (57.06) and placed 2nd AG (30-34), finishing fastest American amateur female and 4th amateur female (10th overall female). Marni is a well-known writer and contributes frequently to Ironman, Triathlete Mag, USAT and can be found quoted in other publications like Runner's World, Shape, Women's Running, Fitness and Men's Health. Marni is enjoys public speaking and working one-on-one with athletes at camps and clinics. Marni is a long-time lacto-ovo vegetarian (since the age of 10) as she loves animals.

Karel is an accomplished Cat 1 cyclist turned Ironman triathlete. He was the former general manager of the Trek Bicycle store in Jacksonville, FL and now works at Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition as a coach and RETUL bike fit expert. Karel has successfully completed 9 Ironman distance triathlons and has qualified for the Ironman World Championship four times (IMWI '14, IMMT '16, IM Placid '17 and IM Choo '17). He holds an Ironman PR of 9:13 (2016 IM Austria) and at 2016 Ironman Mont Tremblant, he clocked the fastest amateur male run split (3:08) of the day.

When Marni and Karel are not working, they can be found cooking/eating, exploring Greenville, SC or spending time with their four-legged furry child Campy.